Quarrels and Quieter Moments
by Kalira69
Summary: Professors Gryffindor and Slytherin are often very loud when they quarrel . . . but they're not always quarrelling. (Outside POV)


This was actually written two years ago (on a whim, if I recall correctly, though it was not the first thing I wrote for this ship) and I just stumbled across it again yesterday - and decided it deserved to be polished up and posted.

* * *

"Oh, come on," George elbowed his friend, "you can't _really_ think they'd. . ." he shook his head.

Harold frowned stubbornly. "I wouldn't just _guess_ , of course not, but if you _watch_ them, and see-"

"Then you'll see them fighting like when my da accidentally locked the sheepdog in with the goats." George said, snorting. "You were at dinner yesterday, even if you _did_ have your nose in a book the whole time, didn't you see - and _hear_ \- their quarrel?"

"I don't think anyone could have missed it." Harold said dryly, scowling at him. "Even _before_ Professor Hufflepuff transfigured them. . ."

"Novel way to end their argument." George said, grinning a bit. He liked Professor Hufflepuff. She was interesting - and to the inevitable eventual surprise of well over half the students when they found out, she was also quite sharp. He'd always wondered a bit at how many people thought she wasn't, knowing her closest companions, the others who had founded the school with her. . .

If she was as _dull and simple_ as some people presumed, how would she have kept apace to, let alone become friends with, such people as Professor Ravenclaw and Professor Slytherin? Both of them were thin on patience if they felt someone wasn't _achieving properly_. Professor Gryffindor, George's own Head of House, wasn't much more patient really - if fact probably less, in general. It was only a little less obvious immediately if he was bored with a person, as he seemed perennially bored with _not being constantly achieving great things_.

"It only did so much to _end_ the argument, but it certainly made their bellowing less frightening for the lower years." Harold replied, smiling a little. Professor Hufflepuff was _his_ Head of House, though at times he acted like he should be roosting with Professor Ravenclaw's eagles instead.

"That was probably her intention." George said, with a snort. Professor Hufflepuff's own patience wore thin for those who caused trouble or were careless.

George had been gleeful to be chosen by Professor Gryffindor, the hero, the brave, the _dragon slayer_ \- he'd been named for Saint George, so clearly it was where he belonged, if only he could reach his potential. He had a great deal of respect for his Head of House, who would help guide him on that path.

He had still been quite amused to see Professor Gryffindor, suddenly furry and tiny and still furious, thrashing on top of the Head Table last night at dinner. Professor Hufflepuff had turned him into a kneazle, and Professor Slytherin into what had looked like a garden snake of some kind.

They'd hissed and snapped at each other, to be sure, but it been much quieter and also much less intelligible than their prior arguing. Before, their . . . _discussion_ about blood status had carried much further, making some of the students uneasy.

"Professor Hufflepuff doesn't have much patience for them when they start arguing about that, does she?" George added, straightening his robes as they reached the top of the stairs. "And at the dinner table?" He tsked quietly.

All four of the school's founders were capable of arguing fiercely with the others, but Professors Gryffindor and Slytherin were the most likely to be loud and . . . _spill_ with their tempers. Although it was most _alarming_ when Professors Slytherin and Ravenclaw were disagreeing or cross with one another.

At least you could see it coming if Professor Gryffindor was angry.

"I think it bothers her more when they get into fights around us. Or especially around the younger ones." Harold said, nodding a bit. "And that _isn't_ all you'll see if you watch them - when they argue it _is_ loud and . . . messy, but they don't always argue." he pointed out, frowning.

"Well, no, of course not." George said, snorting. The four school founders were obviously very close, not only working quite well together but and enjoying doing so - if that had not been so, even if they'd somehow _started_ the school together they wouldn't all have stayed, working so closely together.

"When they're not, though, they're so close, haven't you seen them?" Harold pressed, still frowning, and swatted George's arm impatiently as they rounded a corner.

Before George could point out that he saw them all the _time_ , they were two of the most recognisable and prominent figures in the castle, and one of them was his Head of House to boot - how could he fail to see them on a pretty much daily basis? - the professors in question came into sight.

George froze, eyes widening. Hopefully they hadn't _heard_ what he and his friend were discussing - although the pair of men didn't seem to have noticed them at all, at least not yet. Harold opened his mouth and George smacked his friend, hissing to keep him quiet.

Professor Slytherin was sneering, thin lips drawn back as he glared at Professor Gryffindor, who was scowling at him and- George jumped as one big hand slammed into the door behind Professor Slytherin's head, and Professor Gryffindor moved in closer, crowding him.

Professor Slytherin hadn't reacted at all, though - he didn't even look alarmed really, only glaring and drawing himself up, though he was already roughly of a height with Professor Gryffindor, if not so broad. He shoved at Professor Gryffindor's shoulder, hard enough to nearly make him stumble as he fell back a bit.

George's eyes widened a little more and he edged sideways, almost shifting to hide behind his friend. George looked at Harold, and he raised his eyebrows, jerking his head in the direction of the pair of teachers - the founders of their school, the most powerful wizards in the _country_. . .

 _Yeah, George saw them._

George looked back at the pair of men and then nearly choked as Professor Slytherin curled a hand into Professor Gryffindor's scarlet tunic and _yanked_. Pulling him _closer_.

Professor Gryffindor grinned, despite the rough treatment, and pushed at him in response, sliding Professor Slytherin's back along the door. George startled as Professor Slytherin apparently didn't care, and even-

"I _told_ you!" Harold hissed, and this would be even _worse_ for their professors to notice than their conversation before, although it didn't seem likely they would as Professor Slytherin dragged Professor Gryffindor against his own body and their lips met in a rough kiss. "I told you! Just look at them! I _knew_ it!"

"You've seen them like _this_ before?" George asked, disbelieving, as Professor Gryffindor pulled Professor Slytherin even closer without breaking the kiss and they disappeared behind the door, which closed with a flick of one slim hand through the air.

Professor Slytherin really was impressive, George thought faintly, with magic like that. Using it like that so easily and so _distractedly_.

"No, of course not!" Harold said sharply. "But I _have_ seen _them_ , and if you _watch_ how they are around each other you can see that they are clearly-"

"You saw _that_ coming?" George asked as his friend tugged him along the corridor, continuing on their way up towards the library.

"Not _coming_ ," Harold corrected, "I had guessed it was already happening." he said, tilting his nose up and huffing as though George was being _slow_. Again.

"Right." George said faintly.

* * *

Please excuse the lack of proper dialect for the time period. I tried to balance 'easy to read' against 'sounds semi-appropriate'.


End file.
